Pneumatic derailer.



J. J. McINTYRE.

PNEUMATIC DERAILER.

APPLICATION FILED 0M. 29, 1912.

1,091,367. Patented Mar. 24, 19m

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UNITE" JOHN J. MCINTYRE, OF UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC DERAILER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29,1912.

Serial No. 728,344.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Molxrrnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Uniontown, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. new and Improved Pneumatic Derailer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention contemplates positive means for derailing either loaded or empty trains or parts of trains, or trips of cars or mine wagons when operating on incline planes or slopes, in order to prevent serious wrecks when cars become detached through accident or otherwise.

By my invention, I provide for promptly derailing a runaway car or cars before the same attain a destructive momentum.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a series of derailers spaced apartat short intervals in the track, depending upon the degree of incline or grade and on the length of trains handled, so that blocks are provided of such length that the front end of a train or car will cover at least one derailer switch before the rear end of the moving car or train has too far cleared the next lower derailer.

The distinguishing features of my invention, and the important structural elements characterizing the preferred embodiment which is illustrated as an example, will be more particularly explained in the specific description hereinafter to be given.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View, with parts broken out, showing a section of railway embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing one of the derailing switches and its operating means; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on about the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 1 is an elevation of a terminal of the compressed air line employed as part of the invention, the same being under the control of the engineer, the view being given looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 1.

In constructing the practical embodiment of the invention illustrated, a track is laid in general in the usual manner, and in one rail at a splice thereof, outturned ends 11 are produced. In the open space formed by the outwardly turned ends, a short point section 12 is arranged, its stub end being secured in the conventional manner of switch points, said pointsection being laid in proper gage with the track 10, its point 13 being loose, and planed or hammered to a true fit at the outer side, to lie against the inner end 14 of the out-turned rail and be slightly covered by the said out-turned or deflected rail end. The free end of the point section 12 has sliding movement on plated ties 15 of the track, and the companion rail 16 of the track extends at the switch continuously. Each derailing section 12 is connected by a stout clip 17 to a bridle 18, the opposite end of which bridle is con nected with a piston rod 19 carrying a piston head 20 that operates in a cylinder 21, there being an expansion spring 22 on the piston rod beneath the piston 20, so that one end of the spring abuts against said piston head, and its opposite end abuts against the inner end 21 of the cylinder 21., the arrangement being such that the spring normally tends to force the piston and piston rod outward, and thereby normally acts through the bridle 18 to maintain the derailing section 12 open. When cars are traveling up the incline, they will automatically overcome the tension of the springs 22 and close the derailing point section 12, forcing the beveled free end thereof against the base 141 of the outwardly deflected rail ends 11.

In order that the engineer may close the derailing sections 12 for the descent of the cars, provision is made for the application of compressed air to the outer side of the piston head to overcome the tension of the springs 22, and to this end a pipe line 25 for compressed air connects by branches 26 with the outer ends of each cylinder 21, valves 27 being provided in the branches 26, if desired. At the engine house, the compressed air line 25, desirably in the form of a standpipe 25 provided with a gage 28, connects with a pipe 29 from a compressor or other source of supply, there being a three-way controlling valve 30 provided with a valve lever 31 and an outlet 82. The connection between the upright supply pipe 29 and the standpipe or riser 25 may consist of a lateral branch 29 from pipe 29, the valve 30 and a branch 29 connecting with the upper end of the pipe 25, as shown best in Fig. 5. Thus, to close the several derailing sections Patented Mar. 24:, 1914.

and admit of carsbeing handled down the plane, the engineer so throws the valve lever 31 as to connect the air line pipe with the supply pipe 29, thereby putting the pistons of all the cylindersunder air pressure and overcoming the tension of the springs 22, the gage enabling the engineer to determine whether his power is being applied through the pipe line, Should the engineer detect the absence of load on his-engine. on the :downward movement,or should he lose control of the load, he can, by throwing the valve lever 31, allow the air toescapeifrom the pipe line through the outlet 32 to theatmosphere, and thereby relieve the air pressure in the cylinders 21-, allowingv the springsa22 to automatically throw the several derailing-sed tions 12open. It willthus be seen that normally; the line is maintained :open "and againstgdownward cars, and that positive action on the-part of the engineer is necessary, in: order that cars mayhave athrough way on the down-grade. Thus, should any car or cars run away, they will: be =derailed before they can acquire dangerous-'momentu1n.- At the same time, when=:the engineer is handling cars on a downgrade, he can at anytime relieve the pressure and derail the carorcarsx I w v A-block 33 (Fig. 2) is secured on one end of atie across the end'of each deflected rail 11,-;to close the opening :between'said =declaim as new fiected rail and the adjacent point section 12, in order to prevent pedestrians from having their feet caught between said rail --members, and also to form a stop for the deflected rail end and prevent its creeping.

Having thus described my invention, I I p and desire to secure by Letters Patent":

In a derailer, a track having deflected rail ends at splices of the track on one side, and a continuous rail at the opposite side of the track opposite the said splices, derailing point sections in gage at the deflected portions ofthe main rail,a piston and cylinder, connections between the piston and the derailing point sections, and a compressed air line in communication with the cylinders at one side of the pistons, and springs acting on pistons at the opposite side, the springs normally tending to maintain the derailing sections open, said pipe line having a valve under the control of an operator for establishing communicationbetween the pipe line and a source of compressedair supply, or for relieving the pressure on the said pipe line to permit the springs to act on the pistons. 5

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- JOHN J. MCINTYRE.

WVitnesses:

WV. F. LANE, FRANK W. HERRON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fi'vecents eac'hfbj addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. O. 

